LAFFNVEGAS "LIVE" from the Nieuw Amsterdam, First HAL Ship to Sail!!

[1ANGELCAT]

Where has it been stated that they are not doing final printed stmnts ? You have been able to view online since Navigator was introduced.

 

[kazu]

1 hour ago, atexsix said:

So do we, we rarely do 7 days or less.  And now that they aren't doing paper statements means customer service will be getting a lot more phone calls.  Is it deliberate?  To minimize the number of people crowding around guest services?

You can see your on board account on Navigator and, unless the kiosks are gone you were are able to print off a paper statement BC (Before Covid).

 

Somehow, it doesn’t seem right to me that they don’t provide a final paper statement at the end of your cruise or segment.  To me, that makes it ripe to dispute with your credit card.  I believe it’s a requirement for any credit card that you receive an accounting of any bill?

 

[dobiemom]

35 minutes ago, 12cruise2 said:

what's this--HAL isn't doing paper accounting statements at the end?  We keep track daily, but still. . .

 

12 minutes ago, 1ANGELCAT said:

Where has it been stated that they are not doing final printed stmnts ? You have been able to view online since Navigator was introduced.

 

Scroll back to Lisa’s post #1163 with the (Port Valet) disembarkation instructions. Small print. 

[NRFBQN]

Thank  you, Lisa, for this wonderful Live From!  We will be embarking in four weeks and can hardly wait.  Because of your diligence in sharing information and pictures, we are much better prepared and even more excited!

 

Safe travels home to you and Tom!

[taxmantoo]

35 minutes ago, kazu said:

You can see your on board account on Navigator and, unless the kiosks are gone you were are able to print off a paper statement BC (Before Covid).

 

Somehow, it doesn’t seem right to me that they don’t provide a final paper statement at the end of your cruise or segment.  To me, that makes it ripe to dispute with your credit card.  I believe it’s a requirement for any credit card that you receive an accounting of any bill?

 

Your bill is in fact available on Navigator, BUT is it the correct bill?  On the Koningsdam once, where they have those self-print machines for your bill, I had three different total amounts showing on the self-printed version, the Navigator version, and the version they had just handed to me at the desk ???  I went back to the desk and they blamed it on the night auditor ???  It took them three days to correct the error!  

I would never get off the ship without a paper copy of our final bill. Never!

Edited July 31, 2021 by taxmantoo

[taxmantoo]

27 minutes ago, dobiemom said:

 

Scroll back to Lisa’s post #1163 with the (Port Valet) disembarkation instructions. Small print. 

It states that no final statement will be delivered to your stateroom.  You can still get a statement at the Guest Services desk the night before or just before getting off.

Edited July 31, 2021 by taxmantoo

[kazu]

9 minutes ago, taxmantoo said:

Your bill is in fact available on Navigator, BUT is it the correct bill?  On the Koningsdam once, where they have those self-print machines for your bill, I had three different total amounts showing on the self-printed version, the Navigator version, and the version they had just handed to me at the desk ???  I went back to the desk and they blamed it on the night auditor ???  It took them three days to correct the error!  

I would never get off the ship without a paper copy of our final bill. Never!

 

I found discrepancies between Navigator and our paper bill as well.

Oh yes, the infamous night auditor that fails to refund and is to blame for all errors.  I’ve come to laugh at the night auditor line.

 

I’m with you.  I want my paper statement.  The one they are charging to my credit card 👍 

[highscar]

One final bill on navigator says not available because someone else paid it. excuse me.  I am the only person to pay the bill. 

 

 

 

[dobiemom]

27 minutes ago, taxmantoo said:

It states that no final statement will be delivered to your stateroom.  You can still get a statement at the Guest Services desk the night before or just before getting off.

Thanks! I’ll just need to remember to make a trip to Guest Services before I disembark. 😏

Edited July 31, 2021 by dobiemom

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

1 hour ago, 12cruise2 said:

what's this--HAL isn't doing paper accounting statements at the end?  We keep track daily, but still. . .

Bound to happen.

[rkacruiser]

14 minutes ago, kazu said:

Oh yes, the infamous night auditor that fails to refund and is to blame for all errors.  I’ve come to laugh at the night auditor line.

 

The worst "night auditor" was the one that I experienced on the Prinsendam.  She/he seemed to be related to the Phantom of the Opera.  The daytime Front Desk personnel just couldn't seem to find a way to contact the person.  Until, a Purser's Office Officer got involved.  

 

Kazu, the lack of a hard copy newspaper was totally unavailable during my 2019 Holiday cruise aboard Volendam and the partial Canal 2020 cruise on the Eurodam.  Copies had been available at a rack near the Front Office during Summer, 2019 on the Westerdam.  But, no more.  The racks existed; totally empty.  Even requesting one at the Desk was of no use.  I asked "why"?  Reason given was related to the Company trying to "go green".  

[rkacruiser]

17 hours ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

Next was main entree, the steak was so tasty and tender I knew immediately they were not serving that grass fed beef from the Double RR Ranch. That was the start of the downfall in my opinion of the Pinnacle Grill. Even the baked potato was delicious, perfectly baked and just a good taste. When the Manager stopped by I mentioned that the steak was excellent, he said they ended the contract with Double RR and he too was very please when he tasted this new steak last week.

 

This news about ditching Double RR Ranch beef is excellent news!  My dining experience in the PG has been very inconsistent.  The taste of the beef served didn't help.  

 

17 hours ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

Yes Hal has done cutbacks but they were doing this before the pause. Hopefully they will come to their senses about needing Wine Stewards. They pulled this stunt several years ago and decided to go back to having them. I also think they will get several complaints about the menus so that too will improve. 

 

I love the use of the word "stunt".  HAL has pulled such stunts in several areas over the years.  Hopefully, if they really want to approach the definition of "fine dining", they will employ Wine Stewards who know something about the wines they are serving.  And, employ a sufficient number of them so that I don't have to leave my seat at the dining table, find the ice bucket that has my wine, and then serve myself.  

 

Maybe you read my previous post, these dinner menus appear to me to have been written weeks/months before your cruise.  They will change, I expect.

 

Do you know who was the Executive Chef?  The MDR Manager?  The Culinary Operations Manager?  The Hotel Director?  

 

[kazu]

12 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

The worst "night auditor" was the one that I experienced on the Prinsendam.  She/he seemed to be related to the Phantom of the Opera.  The daytime Front Desk personnel just couldn't seem to find a way to contact the person.  Until, a Purser's Office Officer got involved.  

 

LOL - I will vouch for the elusive night auditor on the P’dam.  Your Phantom of the Opera analogy is perfect 👍 

 

12 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Kazu, the lack of a hard copy newspaper was totally unavailable during my 2019 Holiday cruise aboard Volendam and the partial Canal 2020 cruise on the Eurodam.  Copies had been available at a rack near the Front Office during Summer, 2019 on the Westerdam.  But, no more.  The racks existed; totally empty.  Even requesting one at the Desk was of no use.  I asked "why"?  Reason given was related to the Company trying to "go green".  

 

Thanks.  We had the newspaper on our April - May 2019 cruise as well.

 

Sorry to hear this as I know not everyone has electronics.  It was one of the nice touches of HAL - available in several languages.  If they want to go  “green”, I get that but it would be nice if it were available on request even if someone has to wait for it.

Not everyone has/wants to carry electronics on board.  I do - no biggie. But, I confess to preferring holding a paper in my hand than staring at a screen 😉 

[rkacruiser]

1 minute ago, kazu said:

It was one of the nice touches of HAL - available in several languages.  

 

I enjoyed reading the Canadian and the UK editions of the paper.  

[zgscl]

1 hour ago, highscar said:

One final bill on navigator says not available because someone else paid it. excuse me.  I am the only person to pay the bill. 

 

 

 

If someone else wants to pay for my onboard charges I certainly won’t argue! 

[USN59-79]

Thank you Lisa for doing this.  It makes me feel more confident that we will be able to cruise again.  Concerning the wine stewards in the MDR:  I was always told that because the dining room stewards were Indonesian, which is a Muslim country, it was contrary to their religion to handle or serve alcohol.  Thus, the bartenders and wine handlers were Filipino.  I wonder if the suits at HAL have just decided to ignore how the MDR stewards feel about it.

[AncientWanderer]

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

I enjoyed reading the Canadian and the UK editions of the paper.  

 

Oh, we did, too.  That was a sort of ritual for us -- breakfast on the aft Lido deck, enjoying the morning sea air and our multiple papers.  And then I'd do the crossword puzzle throughout the day.  But yes...gone, gone, gone on our last two cruises. Sigh

Edited July 31, 2021 by AncientWanderer

[atexsix]

2 hours ago, kazu said:

You can see your on board account on Navigator and, unless the kiosks are gone you were are able to print off a paper statement BC (Before Covid).

 

Somehow, it doesn’t seem right to me that they don’t provide a final paper statement at the end of your cruise or segment.  To me, that makes it ripe to dispute with your credit card.  I believe it’s a requirement for any credit card that you receive an accounting of any bill?

 

Or to at least give you the option, that's what hotels usually do.

 

That's the issue I always have with going green, there's never any choice, it's someone else's way (hoa or condo board etc) or the highway.

 

 

Edited July 31, 2021 by atexsix

[ksmaxey]

4 hours ago, zelker said:

ATK was discontinued about 2 years ago.  I miss it.

We do too.  Especially the on demand of ATK and cooks country.  I will say the two shows with the Pinnacle chef were good - but there were only 2

[rkacruiser]

14 minutes ago, USN59-79 said:

t because the dining room stewards were Indonesian, which is a Muslim country, it was contrary to their religion to handle or serve alcohol.  Thus, the bartenders and wine handlers were Filipino.  I wonder if the suits at HAL have just decided to ignore how the MDR stewards feel about it.

 

You ask an interesting question.  The answer is......?  

 

Or, I wonder, has the nationality of the MDR Stewards changed?  

[ksmaxey]

We disembarked and checked into the Crown Plaza.  They let us check in early.  On the way to the space needle we were accosted by a mentally ill homeless person who reached in my pocket and stole my iphone.  I fell in the process.  Thankfully sore and bruised but nothing broken.  Called Seattle PD and we got in the back of a cruiser and directed them to the location of my phone using find my phone.  They caught him.  We got my phone back.  They seemed surprised that we could accurately describe him and as they walked up we made the phone make a noise.

We still did the Chihuly and the space needle but I am in the hotel at 3:30 icing my knee and done for this trip.  Thankful nothing worse happened.

 

 

[boze9999]

2 minutes ago, ksmaxey said:

We disembarked and checked into the Crown Plaza.  They let us check in early.  On the way to the space needle we were accosted by a mentally ill homeless person who reached in my pocket and stole my iphone.  I fell in the process.  Thankfully sore and bruised but nothing broken.  Called Seattle PD and we got in the back of a cruiser and directed them to the location of my phone using find my phone.  They caught him.  We got my phone back.  They seemed surprised that we could accurately describe him and as they walked up we made the phone make a noise.

We still did the Chihuly and the space needle but I am in the hotel at 3:30 icing my knee and done for this trip.  Thankful nothing worse happened.

 

 

So grateful you had you app locator on, the SPD responded promptly and the "valuables" in your phone are secure. Wishing you healthy recovery for your injuries....

[ksmaxey]

5 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

You ask an interesting question.  The answer is......?  

 

Or, I wonder, has the nationality of the MDR Stewards changed?  

Not any we talked to.  There were trying but they are already overloaded.

[rkacruiser]

1 minute ago, ksmaxey said:

Thankful nothing worse happened.

 

Indeed!  It is this type of an incident that causes Seattle to have an unsavory reputation for tourists that it does.  

 

The problems that causes such an incident needs to be addressed.  There just never seems to be "the will or the way" to do so.  

 

I am glad that you received your phone and are not seriously injured.  

[kazu]

19 minutes ago, atexsix said:

Or to at least give you the option, that's what hotels usually do.

 

That's the issue I always have with going green, there's never any choice, it's someone else's way (hoa or condo board etc) or the highway.

 

 

 

I have never been to a hotel that didn’t have a final statement slipped under the door at heaven knows what time early in the morning and is waiting for me when I do my express check out.